“This is an evening of sharing,” announced Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School music teacher James Hilts, moments before the first notes of House of the Rising Sun were played Friday night.
The first annual Student Showcase of the Orillia Jazz Festival, featuring bands from all three of Orillia’s high schools, was all about sharing, collaboration, and talent.
Jazz bands from Orillia Secondary School (OSS), Twin Lakes Secondary School, and Patrick Fogarty (PF) got together on Friday night in this special concert at the Geneva Event Centre.
More than 80 students were involved, close to 200 people were in the audience, and the more than $1,000 raised by audience donations went to the Orillia Youth Centre. The Geneva space for the evening was generously donated by its owner, Donald Porter.
“We are so thrilled to be guests at the Orillia Jazz Festival,” enthused Twin Lakes Secondary School music teacher Christina Bosco. “This is an amazing opportunity for our students and teachers to collaborate and come together to be part of something really amazing.”
Collaboration was the name of the game during the evening as the bass player from OSS played for PF, the drummer from PF played for OSS, and Adam Storey, a former OSS student now at university, came back to play keys for his former high school band and teacher.
“It’s nice to play with them again,” said Storey shortly before taking the stage. “They called me Tuesday and asked what I was doing Friday as their piano player was unavailable, and here I am.”
Storey’s brother, Harrison, is currently in the OSS band and also enjoyed the evening.
The students got together for setup and sound-check at 4:30 p.m. and then enjoyed pizza and a chance to mingle before taking to the stage in front of the audience at 7 p.m.
“It was fun for them to have some social time and get together,” said Laura Lee Matthie, music teacher at OSS.
“When we play competitions, we never get to hang out or hear each other,” added Bosco. “This has been such a fun night to be together and appreciate each other.”
The evening started with the OSS Intermediate band, made up of Grade 9 and 10 students, conducted by OSS teacher Laura Christie.
Some of the students had only been playing their instrument since the start of the school year, a fact which was not in evidence at all, as the band played beautifully in all three of their numbers, including the ever-popular Mac the Knife.
The Twin Lakes Jazz Band was next, with students from grades 9 to 12, playing the traditional jazz band instruments as well as some not-so-traditional French horns, bass clarinets, and clarinets.
“Everyone knows jazz band is fun and they wanted to play, so why not?” said Bosco in her introduction.
Next up was the OSS Senior Stage Band, followed by the PF Stage Band. All the bands played brilliantly, with only a few weeks to rehearse.
The concert ended with a mass band rendition of It Might as Well Be Swing with seven talented soloists and 80 musicians up on stage, conducted by James Hilts.
“Everyone take a look at Orillia’s next jazz musicians,” said Hilts as he took to the stage. The crowd applauded in agreement.
This year’s Orillia Jazz Festival is definitely taking these young musicians seriously, starting with the high school showcase and continuing Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Orillia Opera House, where high school solo musicians are invited to perform in front of a panel of adjudicators. This competition is open to the public.
The winner of that solo competition is invited to play at the Festival Showcase concert that night with Brassworks, also at the Orillia Opera House. An All-Star Band, made up of some of the high school students from each school, will also perform at the concert.
Tickets for the show Saturday night are available through the Orillia Opera House box office or at the door. Come and see the next generation of jazz musicians and some of their teachers in the band Brassworks, at 7:30 p.m. at the Orillia Opera House.
For more information about many more Orillia Jazz Festival events, check the schedule here.
